Reclining chairs and other so-called “motion furniture” have become fixtures in the home decorator's lexicon. This type of furniture is unique in the combination of comfort and convenience afforded by its selective body positioning capability, and is considered by many to be an essential element of the complete home.
In general, the recliners available today are classified as either two or three position. The first position is a conventional seating, or so-called “closed” position, which places the user's feet on the floor with the seat back in a relatively erect position, typically tilted at an angle in the range from approximately vertical to approximately twenty-five degrees (25°), although a more reclined angle could be used if desired. The second is known as the “TV” position, wherein a leg rest is extended to at least somewhat support the user's legs in an ottoman-like manner, while the seat back remains either substantially unchanged from the closed position or is tilted further. Typically, the seat back is tilted at an angle in the neighborhood of approximately thirty degrees (30°) from vertical, although other angles equal to or greater than seat back angle in the closed position could be used if desired. The third position is known as the “reclining” position, wherein the seat back is generally tilted backwards a greater amount than in the TV position, typically approximately thirty or more degrees from the vertical, or as otherwise desired. In the reclining position, the leg rest is also extended to a greater degree than in the TV position. For purposes of both comfort and aesthetics, the seat back is often covered by an upholstered “T” shaped back cushion, which fits down to the seat cushion and extends over the chair arms. The central portion of the cushion extends downwardly between the chair arms, close to or touching a seat cushion.
Typical three-position motion furniture has placement limitations in a room because the rearward tilting of the seat back results in wall contact, unless sufficient clearance is allowed when positioning the furniture. A number of so-called, “wall-avoiding” designs have been offered. Three-position recliners, including wall-avoiding recliners, tend to be less pleasing to the eye than similar, two-position or static furniture, especially from the rear. This is because of the irregular rear surface and the unsightly vertical and horizontal gaps left between the moving and stationary portions of the back and sides. Also, “T” shaped back cushions do not work very well with three-position recliners, because the relative movement between the seat back and the arms causes binding with the chair arms and displacement or distortion primarily of the “wings” forming the “T” shape of the back cushion. As a result, back cushions that do not extend over the arms are usually used on three-position wall-avoiding recliners and the frontal appearance is less finished looking than a similar two-position piece or a chair that does not recline.
There are a number of three-position operating mechanisms in the prior art, both powered and manually operated. In a common arrangement, the leg rest is raised, so as to place the chair in the “TV” position. Then, the seat back acts as a lever to raise the seat slightly as the back is pushed into the full reclining position. Shifting the full weight of the user to the seat reverses the back movement and restores the chair to the “TV” position. Significant displacement of the seat back in rearward and downward directions takes place relative to the arms as it is moved to the full reclining position. Gaps in the upholstery, unsightly deformation of the back cushion and discontinuities in the outline or surface of the chair may result, diminishing or destroying the aesthetic appeal of the chair design.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide three position reclining motion in a wall-avoiding configuration. A second object is to improve the appearance of furniture employing this three position reclining motion by eliminating unsightly gaps and discontinuities in the chair outline or surface to retain the aesthetic appeal of the furniture piece. A third object is to provide this three position reclining motion without significant distortion of a “T” shaped back cushion. A fourth object is to provide three position reclining motion in a form, which may be either powered or manually operated.